‘West Sacramento Promise’ hopes to give free first-year college tuition for local grads

What if local high school graduates knew that if they took the proper courses, they would be guaranteed a place in the local community college – and their first-year tuition would be free?

That’s the premise of the “West Sacramento Promise,” a plan being developed by the West Sacramento Foundation and Mayor Christopher Cabaldon.

If successful, the local version of the “Promise” would follow in the footsteps of programs set up in other cities, where local governments or philanthropists chip in to start a college savings account for young kids in the school district or to otherwise subsidize college costs. Most famous is the “Kalamazoo Promise,” where donors in that Michigan city guarantee to cover college costs in the state’s public education system for high school graduates who earn acceptance.

Cabaldon mentioned the “West Sacramento Promise” idea during his “State of the City” address last month. Yesterday, he talked to the News-Ledger about it in a little more detail.

“It’s part of the ‘Future Ready’ program I’m doing with the West Sacramento Foundation,” said the mayor. “It’s essentially a trust fund to support a variety of initiatives that help youth become more college- and career-ready.”

“The (West Sacramento Promise) concept comes from Long Beach,” he added. “It’s basically a partnership between the schools, local community college and the students.”

“If you graduate from River City High or the West Sacramento Early College Prep school, and you, as a student, have done all the right things, then you know you will have a place at the community college,” stated Cabaldon. “And what they’ve done in Long Beach is that they have used funds to pay (the student’s) tuition for the first year at community college.”

If successful, said Cabaldon, the new program here would address several big problems that discourage local students from entering college, or finishing degree program:

One is that the program would require participating students to complete the “A-G curriculum” college-prep track at the high school. They’d also have to rack up some college-level credits while in high school. Students could do that either by completing some “advance placement” courses in high school or by jointly enrolling in some community college courses while in high school. This would make local grads better prepared for college, said Cabaldon.

“Something like 70 to 80 percent of the students we send to community college now need remedial courses,” Cabaldon said. “This makes them less likely to complete their degrees or certificates.”

The “Promise” would also ensure that the local community college will hold a place for West Sacramento grads – giving them preferred enrollment.

And it would reassure them that the first year of tuition in that college will be free. Tuition in the Sacramento City College system runs $46 per unit, and a full-time student takes a minimum of 24 units a year. While a lot of lower-income students already qualify for a fee-reduction waiver, they often don’t know it, said Cabaldon. The “Promise” would make it simple, at least for the first year.

“We’d be saying, ‘you’re not going to pay,’” he stated. “You are either going to get a fee waiver, or we’re paying, but you’re not going to pay.”

The “West Sacramento Promise” is still in its formative stages, said the mayor, and it’s being developed in tandem with a similar initiative in Sacramento.

How much will it cost?

Cabaldon said he doesn’t have an estimate, but he believes it will cost less than $500,000 per year to fund. The first big project to raise seed money is a “GearUp” bicycle ride planned for October 12. Basic details of the ride are at www.gearup4youth.com.

Cabaldon said he doesn’t have an estimate, but he believes it will cost less than $500,000 per year to fund. The first big project to raise seed money is a “GearUp” bicycle ride planned for October 12. Details of the “Future Ready” program in West Sacramento can be found on FaceBook, said the mayor.

On February 13, The News-Ledger published an editorial on a related subject. The News-Ledger suggested a new effort to create a $50 college savings account for every local kindergartner. You can find that editorial here.

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Copyright News-Ledger 2013

Food giveaway in West Sac today

FROM THE NEWS-LEDGER — June 12, 2013

The Yolo County Food Bank will distribute free food to eligible West Sacramento and Clarksburg residents on Tuesday, June 18. Hours and locations include the West Sacramento County Building at 500 Jefferson Blvd., from 9-10 a.m; Trinity Presbyterian Church at 1500 Park Blvd.; from 10:30-11:15 a.m.; Yolo Housing Authority at 685 Lighthouse Dr., from 11-noon; and the Clarksburg Firehouse, noon-1 p.m.

Please bring a bag and attend only one site. For information, call (530) 668-0690.

Copyright News-Ledger 2013

Wolfington guilty in 2011 motel stabbing

FROM THE NEWS-LEDGER ONLINE — JUNE 17, 2013 —

Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig’s office announced that on Friday, a Yolo County Jury convicted gang member Billy Thomas Wolfington, Jr., 29, of second degree murder,, criminal street gang activity and personal use of a deadly weapon. The jury found that on September 2, 2011, Wolfington stabbed and killed Bobby Jamar Brittenum, 29, of Sacramento. The jury acquitted Shannon Lashaun Silva, 32, of Sacramento of related charges.

Prosecutors had originally sought first-degree murder charges against both, with “gang enhancements.”

The murder occurred at a party at the Town House Motel, 940 West Capitol Avenue. There, Wolfington and Silva confronted Brittenum, said the D.A.’s office. Wolfington and Silva entered the hotel room and told other partygoers to leave the room. Others protested and an argument ensued. Witnesses testified that Silva then began punching the victim and Wolfington stabbed the victim at least sixteen times with a six-inch “butterfly” knife. Wolfington stopped stabbing the victim when one partygoer began screaming for help out the hotel window. Wolfington and Silva fled then the scene. The victim suffered stab wounds to his face, chest and arms. Wolfington and Silva were found a short time later hiding in heavy brush near some railroad tracks.

Also, according to the D.A.’s office, the prosecution introduced evidence of Wolfington’s and Silva’s gang history and membership. Wolfington is a member of the “Broderick Boys” criminal street gang and also shares membership with Silva in a newer gang called the “Northern Ryders.” During the murder, witnesses testified that Wolfington told the victim that he was a Broderick Boy. Gang expert testimony argued that when a gang member either asks or describes where he is from, that this is effectively a challenge, in gang parlance. An expert for the prosecution also testified that violent crimes such as murders elevate the level of fear of a gang, creating a benefit by discouraging witnesses from coming forward to report crimes. As the prosecution explained, the victim’s refusal to leave the room was an act of disrespect that would diminish the reputation of the gang if the disrespect was not answered with violence.

District Attorney Reisig praised local police in a press statement.

“The West Sacramento Police Department and the prosecution team worked hard in convicting a dangerous criminal who took a man’s life,” said Reisig.

A court trial regarding Wolfington’s past convictions is scheduled for July 1 before Judge Stephen L. Mock, who presided over the trial. Wolfington will be sentenced after the conclusion of the court trial. He faces life in prison.

Wolfington was at the center of a local court case decided in 2007.

The Yolo County District Attorney’s office crafted an anti-gang injunction in West Sacramento, targeting the Broderick Boys. The D.A.’s office asserted that the gang was an “unincorporated association” with about 350 members. When serving the gang with judicial notice, the notice was delivered only to Wolfington – with the assumption that this would be adequate legal “service” to the entire gang.

The ACLU and others challenged the process, and a judge agreed that service was inadequate. The original injunction was tossed out. The D.A.’s office and local police have since crafted and instituted a new version of the gang injunction, which provides a curfew and other restrictions on “validated” gang members in much of the city’s north.

Summer has started, graduations are done and it’s time for congratulations to all the graduates. Best of luck in the future! Parents: you, too, can take a bow. You made it so far!

Southport takes a double:
Southport Elementary School won both the Washington Unified School District Boys Flag Football Championship and the Girls Volleyball Championship last week.

I didn’t get a chance to go to the football playoffs but I did make it to the terrific volleyball championships at Riverbank School. I’d like to give a special note of thanks to Carmelita Goldsby, vice principal at Southport Elementary, who attended the games and supported her school.

The final four started with Westmore Oaks squaring off against pre-tournament favorite Bridgeway Island.

Bridgeway Island won the first game 25-17 and things seemed to be going true to form. But Westmore gutted it out and roared back to win game 2, 25-20. The match was on.

Bridgeway fought for their lives and eventually won a great match in game three, 16-14. At one point, the volleyball was such a high quality there was a combined 11-hit back-and-forth rally to decide one point.

Jasmine Anderson, Liliana Flores,Evelyn Bredkhin and Ashley Potts and former United States Youth Volleyball League standout Mallory Cypress were all sited for great play for Westmore Oaks.

Xavionna Bryant-Davis, Sofie Russ, Avi Torres were great playmakers for Bridgeway Island taking them to familiar championship game territory..

In the other semifinal, Southport sought to avenge their earlier season loss to a tough Elkhorn squad and came out blasting.

Southport won 2 games in a row to take the match 26-24 and 25-11 to setup the Championship vs. Brideway Island the next night.

Then the following week at the Sac Softball complex it was Meghan Mckeever, Anjelica Blackmer, Melissa Corona, Crystal Diaz, all playing for a variety of teams — the Pride, Hittterz, Attack and Bandits Fury. It is especially nice to see them in the championship awards presentations. I bet not a weekend goes by that some West Sac softball player is being recognized for a softball championship somewhere in this area, in California or in the country.Great players!

Another softball note: on the two teams this year in the NCAA Womens Softball Champion ship played by Tennessee and Oklahoma 12 players were from California.
I also watched agame in the Sac Joaquin High School Softball Championships, and there were our own Alaina Guerra and Meghan Mckeever playing for Christian Brothers.

Congratulations to Walt James of the Centennial Rotary Club of West Sacramento for being named the District 5180 Rotarian of the Year. Out of 40 clubs and about 1,600 Rotarians Walt was accorded this great honor.

Also, congratulations to Beverly Sandeen of the Centennial Club for being recognized by Mayor Christopher Cabaldon for her contributions to the community.

Have a great summer!

Do you like what you see here?

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You can even try it for free for two months if you live in West Sacramento. Just send your name and mailing address to FreeTrial@news-ledger.com (offer open to new subscribers in West Sacramento ZIP codes 95691 & 95605).